Mucker



4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aprll 25, 1933. J. s. FINLAY El AL MUGKER Filed Dec. 28, 1951 N. I .I

April 25, 1933. J. s. FINLAY El AL MUCKER Filed Dec.

4 Sheets-Sheet 2 gwoemtoto April 25, 1933. J 3 FINLAY ET 1,906,000

MUCKER Filed Dec. 28, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 April 25, 1933. I 5 FINLAY ET AL 1,906,000

MUCKER Filed Dec. 28, 1931 4 Sheets-v-Sheet 4 Patented Apr. 25, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MUCKEB Application filed December 28, 1931. Serial No. 588,548. I

This invention relates to shoveling machines of the type employed for loading much or other material in cars, and particularly to shoveling machines or muckers adapted for work underground.

An object of this invention is the production of a mechanical shoveler that is light, compact, mobile, and positive in its operation. Another object is to provide a shoveling machine of such design that practical and efiicient machines may be made in sizes movement for the dipper of the shoveling mar chine to prevent the material in the dipper from spilling. These and othe. objects will be apparent fromthe specification when taken with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through the machine,

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1',

Fig. 3 is a section on line 33 of Fig.1,

Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the line 4-401? Fig. 3, and

Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8 show the shovel in various positions of operation.

A reversing air or electric motor 1 furnishes the power by which the shovel is driven, preferably on rails, and .in addition, drives a vertical shaft 2, which actuates the revolving table 3. An arrangement involving bevel gears, clutches, control levers, etc, is shown for these drives, but as nothing new is claimed for this arrangement, a detailed description is not given.

A bed plate 4 is fastened rigidly to the wheel bearings, through the channel members 5 and has its top grooved for the ball bearings 6, which in turn support the revolving table 3.

Upon the upper surface of the table 3, are fastened the lower flanges of two I-shaped supporting members 7 which are connected to one another by cross members 8. The upper flanges of these members 7, have side boards 9 and upwardly projecting guiding frames 10 formed integrally with them. In the top surface of each of the upper flanges of members 7, are formed two grooves 11 semicircular in cross section.

Connected tothe plate 3, is a reversing air or electric motor (not shown) which drives the rope drums 12 which through the ropes 13, 13 and the solid rocker unit 14, actuate the dipper 15, which is connected to the rocker unit 14.

The surface of the rocker unit has an increasing radius of curvature in a direction away from the end to which the dipper is connected and the ropes 13 are attached to the rocker near this away end.

The rocker unit 14 has two ccntact surfaces that roll along the top flanges of the supporting members 7, andxare guided by the side boards 9 and guiding frames 10. Each rocker unit contact surface is scored with two grooves 16 having a semicircular cross-section equal and corresponding to those in the top flanges of'the members 7. Lying along the inner of the grooves On each side is a guiding cable 17 which has its rear end attached by a spring connection 18 to give a small amount of flexibility and-its front end attached by an adjustable connection 19 to-the rocker 14. In the outer of the two grooves on each side, a guiding cable 20 is arranged tolie. One end of each is attached to the supporting members 7 by a spring connection 21 near the'front and the other end of each is adjustably connected to the rocker 14 by the connection 22.

The rocker 14 is provided with a block 23 which, when the shoveling machine is in a position for mucking, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, rests against the ends of the members 7 and with the aid of the limiting cables 17 and 20 supports the dipper 15 androcker 14 against the resistance of a muck pile while it is being'crowded ahead or to the side of the car to load the dipper.

ing the rope drums 12 to revolve and the rockers 14 to pivot on the forward ends of members 7, giving a digging movement to the dipper. This digging action is repeated until the dipper is full. The dipper is dumped into a car attached to the rear of the shoveling machine by winding the cables 13 on the drums 12. The rocker rolls on the tops of the supporting members 7, carrying the dipper 15 upwardly and rearwardly, as shown in Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8, until the dipper reaches its rearmost position. At this position the members 25 and 26 meet, and abruptly stop the movement of the dipper. The inertia of the load then causes it to continue its movement and it is thereby thrown into the car. By cutting off the power from the dipper actuating motor just before the bumpers 25 and 26 meet, advantage is taken of the recoil to start the return of the dipper, which movement is completed by gravity. The machine is then ready to repeat the cycle.

The rocker 14 is guided and maintained in its proper relative position with respect to the members 7, during its forward and rearward rolling movements by the cables 17 and 20 and the grooves 11 and 16. It will be evident that the cooperation between the cables 17 and 20 with the'grooves 11 and 16 results in the rocker rolling in a straight path and that the rocker 14 and the members 7 are maintained in proper relative position with respect to each other by the action of the cables in preventing the rocker 14 from slipping on the members 7. The rocker by being curved, as shown and described, with respect to the point of application of power, causes an accelerating movement to be given tothe dipper and its load which prevents any of the load from being spilled. The curve of the rocker is also designed to require a minimum amount of head room for the dipper during its unloading movement.

If it is desired, the dipper may be moved to one side of the machine or the other by rotating the table 3.

This invention is not intended to be limited by the specific construction shown and described but may be modified by changing the methods of applying power, by varying the curve of the rocker and by any other changes which. may be aparent to those skilled in the art and not limited by the following claims.

Instead of having a smooth surfaced rocker and supporting member, each may be provided with teeth and it is intended that this construction be included by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A mechanical shoveling device having in combination, a rocker structure having a curved portion and a dipper connected to the rocker structure adjacent one end of the curved portion, the radius of curvature of the rocker increasing in the direction away from the dipper, a supporting member on which said rocker rolls, and means to roll said rocker, said means connected to the rocker nearer the end away from the dipper than the end to which the dipper is attached, the curve of the rocker giving an accelerating dumping movement to the dipper.

2. A mechanical shoveling device having in combination, a rocker, a dipper connected to one end of the rocker, a supporting member on which said rocker rolls, a groove in said supporting member, a corresponding groove in said rocker and a cable in one of said grooves which during rolling of the rocker upon the support coacts with the other of said grooves to guide the rocker on the support.

3. A mechanical shoveling device having in combination, a semi-ovate rocker, a dipper carried on one end of the rocker, a horizontal supporting member over which said rocker rolls, means mounting said rocker and dlpper for movement of the dipper from filling position through an arc over the rocker to dumping position including two tension members, one having an end connected to one end of the supporting member, the other having an end connected to the other end of the supporting member and the other ends of the tension members connected to the opposite ends of the rocker, corresponding grooves in the rocker and the supporting member in which said tension members fit to guide the rocker as it rolls on the supporting member, and tension means to roll the rocker.

4. A mechanical shoveling device having in combination, an approximately segmental rocker and a dipper connected to one end thereof, the radius of curvature of the rocker increasing in the direction away from the dipper, a horizontal supporting member on which said rocker rolls, two tension mem bers, one having an end connected to one end of the supporting member, the other having an end connected to the other end of the supporting member and the other ends of the tension members connected to the opposlte ends of the rocker, grooves in the rocker and the supporting member in which said tension members fit to guide the rocker as it rolls on the supporting member, and means to roll the rocker to carry the dipper up and over the rocker to a position at the opposite end of the'supporting member from its initial position, the curve of the rocker giving an accelerating dumping movement to the dip- 5. A shoveling machine comprising, in combination, a supporting structure having guide'elements, a unitary dipper and rocker structure having portions disposed to rock in said guide elements, said unitary structure including-a pair of spaced, parallel solid rocker members having semi-ovate shapes, a

dipper member secured to one pair of ends of said rocker members and an abutment portion adjacent the juncture of the rocker and dipper members, and means mounting said unitary structure for movement from a position wherein said abutment member bears against said supporting structure, through a position wherein said rocker members cooperate with said guide elements and said dipper is disposed above said rocker members to a osition wherein the ends of said rocker mem ers away from said dipper bear upon said guide elements and said dipper'is dis posed in emptying position.

6. A shoveling machine comprising, in combination, a supporting structure having guide elements, a rocker structure including a pair of parallel rocker members having arcuate edge portions adapted to cooperate with said guide elements, a dipper secured on one pair of ends of said rocker members,

means mounting said rocker structure for rocking movement on said guide elements, means for imparting a rocking movement to said rocker structure to move said dipper from filling position, over said rocker structure to dumping position, and means for halting said structure in a position such that said dipper is substantially vertically over the rolling pivots constituted by said rocker members and the cooperating guide elements,

whereby the structure is returned to filling \position principally by the action of gravity.

In testimony whereof, we aflix our signatures.

JOHN S. FINLAY. EDWIN B. ROY-LE. 

